Sunday, December 29, 2013

In the midst of the horror of the massacre of the holy innocents, God is at work to save all the world from precisely this evil. God does not do this by destroying or overpowering evil, but by entering into the very heart of suffering and pain in order to bring healing and a new future.Vicar Emily Beckering, First Sunday of Christmas, year A; texts: Matthew 13:13-23; Isaiah 63:7-9 (added Jeremiah 31:15-17 as well)

In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

How horrific it is that in the wake of the birth of our savior, so much evil and death follows.

And yet, it also makes sense. It makes sense because we know from our own lives that we live in a cruel and dangerous world. We know that atrocities like the death of the baby boys of Bethlehem continue to happen in our own time.

All we have to do to be reminded of this is to turn on the TV, open a newspaper, or log in and read our news feed. We live in a broken world where suffering is widespread and where evil still runs rampant.

The birth story of Jesus does not pretend that the world is any different.

It is not a magical story where God comes to us in the form of a baby and suddenly everything is sunshine and roses. That is not the story of the nativity because that story would in no way address the harsh realities of life lived in this world.

Instead, God comes to us and to the world by entering into the very worst that it has to offer: into a world that does not recognize him or relish in the goodness that he brings, but instead pursues him and attempts to wipe him from the face of the earth.

In Herod’s attempt to destroy his Messiah, he destroys the lives of the children of Bethlehem and their families. We need to be clear about one thing: the death of these children was not God’s will. God did not orchestrate their murder as a part of God’s plan. The slaughter of the innocents did not happen in order to fulfill God’s Word spoken to the prophets.

The fulfilled prophecies show us that in Jesus Christ, God is doing what God promised to Israel by coming as their Messiah to deliver them and give life. God the Father provides carefully for Jesus, the Son, so that this mission might be lived out.

God is at work in this story to bring life, not death, for God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.

The violent death of these children depicts the polar opposite of God. Their deaths result from evil, brought about by human fear and anger. Their deaths are Herod’s desperate and disturbing attempt to hold onto his power and position at all costs. These children are destroyed because they resemble Christ. They are persecuted because they match the description of the expected Messiah: a male child born within the time frame of the appearance of the star. The church has traditionally named these children as the first martyrs because they are murdered in Jesus’ name: they are sought out and destroyed because they reflect Christ.

Their martyrdom, however, is not to be celebrated. Those who are left behind in Bethlehem bring their grief in lament before God “A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.” This is a direct quotation from Jeremiah 31:15, which voices the cries of Israel, exiled into Assyria.

These words from Jeremiah are our entrance into this story.

We may be left feeling like Israel, exiled to Assyria. We may look around us and see all the evil and suffering: the violence of wars, the destruction caused by hurricanes and tornadoes, the murder of children, or the horror of a slave industry that still holds millions captive and be left feeling like this depiction of Rachel: weeping for her children, refusing to be consoled.

We may find ourselves refusing to be consoled, refusing to be comforted by this birth of Jesus if it means that innocent babies will die, that the Herod’s of the world will still win, and that evil gets to go unchecked.

We hear the cry of Rachel, the cry of Israel in exile, but because Matthew takes this prophetic word out of Jeremiah without giving us the context, we do not hear God’s response to Israel’s refusal to be consoled. This is what follows the cry of Rachel in verses 16 and 17: “Thus says the LORD: Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for there is a reward for your work, says the LORD: they shall come back from the land of the enemy; there is hope for your future, says the LORD; your children shall come back to their own country.” God promises Israel that exile is not the end because God is still at work for them to bring them into a new future, a future filled with hope and the presence of their God.

This is also the promise that we find in the slaughter of the children of Bethlehem. God says to Israel and to us: we do not need to remain inconsolable in our grief, in our suffering, or in response to the world’s condition because what we think is the end, is not in fact the final end.

Israel is told that they will return home because God will bring them home. And though all that the people of Bethlehem might have been able to feel at the terrifying, horrendous slaughter of their children was inconsolable loss and abandonment, they were not, in fact, abandoned! God was at work for them, in the very midst of their terror, bringing to them a savior, working out God’s plan to free them from such forces of evil.

There was hope yet for them, and hope yet for us.

The hope is this: that in the person of Jesus Christ, God experiences the depths of our fear and our suffering and we do not face them alone.

This is precisely why Jesus Christ came!

He came because we are broken people who live in a broken world: a world where kings are able to wipe out the offspring of an entire village in order to maintain power, a world where children are gunned down in elementary schools, bought and sold as slaves and starve to death, a world where neighbors kill neighbors with machetes and where 11 million people are systematically destroyed because of their ethnicity.

In this baby, God enters into the very midst of that brokenness, is born into the same terror, and lives under the same threats to which we are vulnerable.

On the cross, God does not send an army of angels to overpower the Romans and prevent the crucifixion. This is not God’s way. We see this not only at Jesus’ death, but from the very onset of his birth. God does not destroy evil with fire, use angels to overpower Herod, or retaliate Herod’s evil with punishment by death.

God is not like Herod.

In Jesus, we meet a very different kind of king.

Instead, our Lord Jesus Christ enters into the danger himself: into the heart of the evil and destruction and pain in order to heal us from the inside out. And in the face of such horror, God is carefully and intimately involved in order to fulfill the promises made and to bring about a new future.

So what shall our witness and our response to this story be? When we look at the world and see only death, and it seems that evil has the upper hand and is winning, our confession is that this is not the whole story. God is still at work in this world and in our own lives.

God is with us in the very midst of our pain and our suffering and our fear, working to bring life and healing on the other side of it.

We are to live knowing this is true. We are not to live as Herod, making decisions out of fear, or anger, or self-preservation. Because when we do, we wreak havoc and cause terrible suffering for those around us. Instead, we are to be the people who trust that God is at work. We are to be the people who look for where God is working and ask God how we can be a part of it.

We need not be paralyzed in the face of suffering, or attempt to take matters into our own hands because our hope is that our God is still at work.

Our hope is that though the children of God will experience suffering as a consequence for resembling Christ in the world, the most vicious plots of Herod or Pontius Pilate or even our own hearts cannot prevent God from reaching God’s children, healing us and bringing us new life.

Even when all we can see is darkness and all lights seem snuffed out, when we are surrounded by suffering and death and all seems lost, we confess in the presence of one another and of a hurting world that this darkness and suffering are not the ultimate realities and will not have the final word. God is still at work and God is still in our very midst, coming with healing in God’s wings, working to bring about a new future for all.

In the end, the story of the massacre of the Holy Innocents is the same story that we heard today in Isaiah: “God became their savior in all their distress. It was no messenger or angel but his presence that saved them.”

The children of Bethlehem were not saved by an angel or a messenger, but by God himself who came in full presence to save them and all of Israel, us and the entire world. God became our savior in all of our distress. It is God’s very presence that we are promised, and this presence by which we are saved.

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Jesus Christ, our true light, makes God’s home among us, leads us out of our darkness, and enlightens us to testify to his saving light. Vicar Emily Beckering, The Nativity of Our Lord, Christmas Day; text: John 1:1-14

In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Not long ago, two of my friends went on a spontaneous hiking trip in the remote wilderness of Colorado. Things began well: the sun was shining, it was a balmy 50 degrees, they had snacks packed, and plans for an enjoyable hike. As they climbed higher, however, they lost track of time. Night began to fall, and their situation changed drastically.

It began to snow unexpectedly, and with the disappearance of the sun over the horizon, the temperature dropped 25 degrees. They found themselves unprepared with clothes ill-fit for this sudden winter onset. What is more, they had forgotten their flashlight in the car at the base of the trail. It was a night without a moon, and without a flashlight, it was soon impossible to see where they were going. The snow began to cover up the hiking paths so that they could neither go forward, nor follow their tracks back down the mountain. The two lit a fire, but the snow was coming down so fast, it soon snuffed out the flame.

Shivering in the cold, wet from the snow, and nothing but darkness all around them, the direness of their situation soon set in. They were lost, tired of wandering through the darkness, and with the threat of hypothermia looming, they were afraid that they might not make it out of the woods.

Lost and afraid: these are feelings familiar to us. We, too, are a people who insist on walking in darkness. Intent on going our own way, living life as we please, how quickly we, too, become lost. We are unable to find our way home and incapable of loving the God who has created us. We are unable to leave the darkness of our fear and our doubt and our despair, and so instead cling tightly to these things in attempt to have some control.

In response to our dire predicament, God, out of the fierce love with which God loves us, decided that enough was enough. Enough of darkness, of fear, and of a world that did not and could not know the God who loved them. We needed a new beginning: a beginning that only God could bring.

We were in darkness, so light came down.

We were trapped in death, so life came down.

We did not know God, so God came to us.

God came: not in fire or in an earthquake or in some other mighty display of power, as we might have expected, but came as a baby, in human flesh, into all of our weakness and limitations. As we heard last night, by coming to live and to die among us, God became vulnerable. This, however, is a risk that God was willing to take because of what was at stake: us. God refused to be separated from us. God refused to lose us or to leave us in any form of darkness. Jesus came for us and for all people, in order that we might know the depth of God’s love for us and be children of God who have life in Jesus’ name.

Now that God in the person of Jesus Christ has come, and died, and risen again, there is no darkness too deep where God cannot reach us. God is not far off in heaven, but here, among us. The Word became flesh and lived among us, literally, God dwelled, set up camp, tented with, made God’s home among us.

If you have ever been to summer camp, lived on campus in college, or had a roommate, then you know all about setting up a home with someone. You know that you never really get to know someone like you do when you live with them. You know that people who do not know one another before living together are not strangers for long, and those who thought that they knew each other before moving in together are often surprised to see one another in a whole new light.

Living together makes us know one another in a deeper way than we could before. When you live with someone else, there is no more hiding because everything is out there in the open to see: our habits, personality, even our flaws. We expose ourselves in ways that we wouldn’t have to if we chose to live by ourselves. If we have any say in the matter, then those whom we choose to live with, whom we make our home with and call are own, are the ones whom we long to be with and love.

The same is true for God.

For God so loved the world and longed to be with us all in a relationship, that God came to live with us. When God in Jesus Christ came to dwell, to set up tent among us, we came to know God in a way that was not possible before. But unlike us, God makes a home with those who reject him and deny him. In order to make God and God’s love known, Jesus exposed himself to ridicule, to rejection, and to death on a cross at the hands of those to whom he had come. That was the risk that our Lord was willing to take to reach us, to give us life, and to reveal his glory, the glory as of a Father’s only Son. Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection all reveal that glory: the splendor and the radiance of the love of the One true God.

By coming this way, God fulfilled the promises spoken through the prophets Ezekiel and Zechariah: that God’s dwelling place would be with people, that God would be their God, and that the people would belong to God. As we hear in Revelation: “The home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them.” Jesus in the flesh is God for you! Here is our God! Today! With us, for us, among us, in us.

In this presence of God, something happens to us.

When Jesus comes to us, he, “the true light, which enlightens everyone” enlightens us. We are brought from darkness into light, for we are made to know our God and the depth of the love that God has for us.

But “being enlightened” does not just mean that we are given knowledge or understanding. To be “enlightened” is literally to be filled with light, to be lit up. When the resurrected Jesus enlightens us, he bathes us in his light, lights us up, illuminates us. Like a lantern, we are illuminated in order that we might reflect that light, and testify to it. We become witnesses who point to the true light, Jesus Christ, who offers this light and a life to live as a Child of God to all people.

This “being enlightened” is not always something we are aware of or even feel because we do not become enlightened by our own will—the will of the flesh or of the will of people—but by the will of God. We are made into witnesses because that is the will and work of God: that is what happens when the Triune God encounters us.

And what happened to my friends on the hiking trip? They were brought from near death into life again by the light of the next morning, which led them safely from the woods to the path back home.

They were saved by light, and so are we.

Jesus Christ, the true light, who enlightens all people, has come into the world. God’s answer to our darkness is to bring light. God’s answer to our being lost is to come in flesh and blood and find us, to set up camp with us, to remain with us through the night until we are no longer afraid, and then be the light who leads us out of the woods.

Arise! Shine! For our light has come and made a home with us. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

This birth is first understood from the hill of the cross, and the vulnerability of God revealed on that hill now is more fully understood in God’s coming to us as a child, risking all to love us back, risking all that we, too, might risk transforming love.Pr. Joseph G. Crippen, The Nativity of Our Lord, Christmas Eve; text: Luke 2:1-20

Sisters and brothers in Christ, grace to you, and peace in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

This is not a safe world. Let’s not fool ourselves into thinking it is. That we gather ourselves tonight in a safe cocoon of warmth and light only points out that there is darkness and cold in this world that we are trying to keep out. You don’t light a candle in full sunlight. You don’t put on an extra blanket in the middle of summer.

This is not a safe world. Let’s not pretend that it is. That we gather ourselves tonight to celebrate the coming of God into the world to save us, to save all, only points out that there is something we need saving from, that there is something wrong that only God can heal. Jesus himself reminded us that only sick people need doctors, not well people.

This is not a safe world. Let’s not forget that is true. That we gather ourselves tonight to sing “all is calm, all is bright,” and “glory to the newborn King” only points out that there is much that is not calm, not bright, not filled with glory. There is nothing remarkable about a silent night unless the world is cacophony and somehow we find a silent moment in the midst of that.

It is good, though, very good, that we’ve gathered ourselves together here tonight. That we’ve found some warmth and light, that we remember God’s healing is come, that we claim an island of calm and glory in the presence of God.

But we mustn’t lose sight of the fact that this is not a safe world precisely because not only can we not stay here indefinitely, God also needs to be in that world as it is, not this place as we have made it. In all our celebrations of this birth of our Lord Christ, we dare not mistake this place, this moment, for the place of God’s working in the world. God is here, God comes to us here, we meet the Incarnate One here, yes.

But only that we might be able to recognize the Incarnate God out there, in the unsafe world. Only that we might be able to hear the same Incarnate One calling us out into the darkness and cold, into the noise and fear, into the sickness and pain. In this calm, light, warm, glory-filled place of healing we take rest, we open our eyes to God’s light, we are filled with a vision of what this world can be in God’s love.

But the One whose birth we’ve come to celebrate is in that unsafe world. So ultimately, that’s where we need to be, if we want to be with him.

Here is how we know this to be true: we do not come to this manger as our first sight. We come to this manger from our sight of the crucified Jesus.

It’s hard to remember this, since we live time in a straight line – pregnancy, birth, life, death – but seeing what was happening in Bethlehem came after seeing what happened on a hill outside Jerusalem.

Sometimes we’re told that we look at the manger and we see the cross. In fact, our vision comes from the other direction, from the cross to the manger. It’s not likely that while Jesus was teaching, healing, gathering disciples much attention was paid to where he had come from. There are some mentions of contact between Jesus and his family, even locals in his hometown calling him “Joseph’s son”, but people followed Jesus because of who he was as they met him. They learned to trust him, or not, to follow him, or not, based on what they knew of him as he was as an adult, not based on any stories of his birth.

But after the cross, and then his resurrection, things changed. His disciples became believers that he was in fact the Son of God, that he was God. The group of followers was filled with the Holy Spirit and became a thing called the Church.

And in the reflections of those early believers, they started to look backward. If Jesus is truly the risen Son of God, then what does that mean about where he came from? And that was where the wonder of this night came to be found: in realizing that the God who risked all in dying on the cross was risking all from the very beginning. Listening to the stories of his birth from his mother, from those who knew them, the believers began to realize how profoundly vulnerable God had been from the beginning, and how important that was.

So Mark tells his story just from the standpoint of the adult Jesus, through death and resurrection. But Matthew and Luke, coming later, reflect on the meaning of his origins, and feel a need to tell that part of the story as well. The beginning of the story. And then John tells us a wonder, that even this birth isn’t the beginning of the story of God’s involvement with us, that this coming of God into the world was in plan from the very beginning of time. That God, the creator of this world, chose to come into the heart of the danger and pain to make things right.

Which is where we find ourselves tonight.

The birth of this child, this God-With-Us, is all about God’s willingness to risk everything. That’s what the cross teaches us about tonight.

God enters an unsafe, dark, cold, hateful, sick, broken world to transform it from within.

This is not a story that begins tonight in beauty, seemingly ends badly in death, and then finishes triumphant on Easter. This is a story from the beginning of creation, a story of the eternal God who desperately loves this world he has made but is pained beyond belief at the destruction we, God’s own children, have made of it. A story of a world of light brought into darkness by our own actions, our own lives, a world which is not as God made it to be.

From the point of choosing Abraham and Sarah, this manger, this cross, this empty tomb, all these things were possible. Because this plan from the beginning involved God’s risking all. Which means that we never see Almighty God as a hapless victim, not at the cross, not at the manger. This is the Triune God’s choice of how to deal with this unsafe world. To become completely vulnerable to it, rather than destroy it. To put himself in our hands, in hopes that we might thereby learn to love.

When we look at the manger from the hill of the cross we see that in this birth amongst the lowly creatures of this world God was saying, “I will come to you without any power or might, so that you can hear me, know me, love me. Follow me.” “Or,” as was always the possibility, “kill me. But I will come to you in this way. It’s the only way to life for this world.”

When we hear Herod’s reaction next Sunday to this coming of God, destroying the children of Bethlehem, we see fully the risk involved, as fully as we see it on that hill outside Jerusalem: Babies are born without power and protection, born into warmth and light sometimes, but often into darkness and cold. And always, always, at risk from any number of dangers.

This baby, born into a world which already had no room for him, was at risk from the moment of his conception, through his birth and early childhood. That he willingly chose to face the cross as he struggled in Gethsemane is only the continuing of the Son of God’s willingness to let us do anything to him, in hopes that we would in fact learn to love him.

Which means this: on this holy night, in our warm, light, space we have made in the midst of a cold, dark world, we are faced with a decision.

What will we do with this baby?

We can love the story, love the idea of a baby in a manger, and pretend that this is all sweetness and light. But then we’d go out into that unsafe world with little more than a lie. If this beauty, this quiet, this peace in here has nothing to do with reality out there, what is the point? If God is actually doing something about this unsafe world in this birth, just loving this story isn’t getting that point.

If, however, we see that this vulnerability, this risk of God is the whole point, then this baby becomes very important. Then this baby becomes the beginning of God’s answer to this broken, dark, cold, unsafe world.

It’s the difference between seeing this beauty, then looking at the ministry of Jesus, and then saying, “Isn’t it a shame that everything went so badly, but at least he rose from the dead,” and seeing this birth for what it is, a huge risk that inevitably led to a cross, a gamble with death, with us, in a world where so many things go badly, for the very purpose of changing that world.

Without power, without weapons, without defenses; without strategy, without plan of attack, without manipulation; this is how God enters the pain of this world. And so that is also our path.

The wisdom of the Triune God is at once astounding and troubling, that this was the only way to bring the world back. It was all about risk, always about risk. The only way to make this world safe and whole was to risk being broken and unsafe, even though God has the power to make and unmake universes.

So this is our invitation: to see this as our way in the world as well. We have none of the power of the Triune God, so in one sense, it’s far easier for us to go into this world powerless and defenseless. We feel that way often enough already. But we have enough that we cling to our self-built protections, we build barriers, we try to pretend we’re safe. Enough that we need to hear what our Lord Jesus taught us not just in words but in these actions, this birth, that death.

The only way to healing, to light, to warmth, to wholeness, to peace, is to enter the pain, the darkness, the cold, the brokenness, the struggle and be willing to put ourselves wholly into it.

In that risking, the world will be healed. That’s what our God has shown us. In that risking, light will come into darkness, warmth into cold, peace into fighting. It’s the only way for God. So it can be the only way for us.

This is not a safe world. We don’t want to forget that.

And the only way to face that is to go out into that world with our lives, our hearts, our whole being, risking all. It’s more than a little frightening to consider.

So let’s keep our eyes on this baby who is the God of all creation, heaven and earth contained in such a little space, such a vulnerable place. Our way is the way our God has already walked, and if we are with such a God, then we are also given the courage to risk as God has risked.

It’s not a safe world. But we are not in it alone; that’s what we learn tonight. If our path leads into darkness and cold, into dangerous wilds, it is also the only path where we know the Triune God has gone, and where we know we will never be alone. And that, my friends, is truly tidings of comfort and joy.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

We long for God to come to be with us, we hope for this promise that Christ abides with us; but when our Lord comes he’s disruptive, life-changing, and thanks be to God for that.Pr. Joseph G. Crippen, Fourth Sunday of Advent, year A; texts: Isaiah 7:10-16; Matthew 1:18-25

Sisters and brothers in Christ, grace to you, and peace in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

It wasn’t supposed to happen this way. He had it all in his mind how it would be: a perfect day, the whole town celebrating, a dance, his beautiful bride. And then children, if the LORD God willed it, boys whom he would teach his craft, or girls whom his wife would teach to care for a home.

It wasn’t supposed to happen this way, this stunning thing of her being pregnant. Truthfully, it wouldn’t have been so bad if the reason was that they couldn’t wait. That had happened before in this town, and while it was humiliating for a while to be teased, it always passed and people went on with their lives. That, he could have handled.

But this pregnancy . . . well . . . he had nothing to do with it. That was the terrible thing. That was the thing he couldn’t even bear to say out loud for fear it would mean it wasn’t just a bad dream. For Joseph, his hopes for his life were shattered.

Or at least that’s what he thought. It would be well for us, sitting on Fourth Advent, looking ahead to our Christmas celebrations, it would be well for us to see if we might need to learn what Joseph, guardian of our Lord, needed to learn. Because what he learned was a hard lesson, though ultimately it was a lesson which gave him life like he’d never dreamed of. What he learned was how God works salvation for us. It was a hard lesson for him; it may be a hard lesson for us. Because God does this salvation by surprising us with the unexpected, the ridiculous, even the terrible, or the terrifying. But in that surprise we have hope, and life. In that surprise God is with us.

We call Jesus’ birth holy, but in fact it’s a holy disruption, for his family, and for the world.

It’s a thing we have to keep in mind as we’re tempted to sentimentalize the Christmas story. Matthew’s account is not terribly sentimental, after all. He tells of a good man, a righteous man, who is torn between his loyalty to his fiancée and his sense of what is right, a man who seeks to quietly divorce her rather than have her stoned to death.

This threatening opening to Jesus’ story is only the start of what is to come. Because Matthew will tell us of the cost of this birth to the children of Bethlehem. And then he will tell us what this child, grown to be a man, became, and what he asks of us, of all who would follow him.

Jesus the child became a man who called us to take up our cross and follow him. To give up our lives for each other. To love our enemies and to be people embodying justice and love in the world.

This is the kind of wisdom, the way of life, this holy Child came to bring. The disruption in his earthly parents’ lives was only the beginning. Jesus’ whole way is a disruption of everything we are and do.

The promise Matthew makes today is that this Child will be Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.” It’s a good name. Until we comprehend what that means. That’s what Joseph and Mary learned.

Once God comes to be with us, God starts talking to us. God starts asking things of us. God starts trying to lead us into new ways of life. God-with-us is not a neutral, no-impact proposition. God’s ways of justice and peace and self-giving love: this is the way Jesus talked and walked and preached.

Jesus came to lead us onto paths that lead to the life of the Triune God. He points humanity, points each of us, down roads that are very different from our current paths and directions.

So however much we get mushy at Christmas, the end result of this impending birth is change for us. Massive change. Earth-shaking change. And, like Joseph, we may not always like it at first.

What we know, though, is that the need for God-with-us is also as real as it has ever been for the world.

The readings from Scripture this morning speak of the human need for God to come and help us. In Isaiah, Ahaz, the king of Judah, is faced with serious military threats from Israel, the northern kingdom, and from Aram, also to the north and east, and he’s facing moral collapse from within his kingdom. Injustice and oppression are increasing among his people.

And to this Isaiah promises that a child will be born as a sign, a child called “God-with-us.” A sign that God still cares about Judah. But also a sign to call the nation to new life.

The time of Joseph and Mary likewise cried out for help from God. Oppression from Rome, poverty and want: this people desperately needed God. And the promise to Joseph today is that a child will be born, called “God-with-us”.

And even when we move forward now to our time, we long for God to save us. How can we count the ways we are anxious and frightened? Seemingly ever-increasing intolerance and hatred in our world and our society. Threats of terrorism, of heart-rending violence and death close to home and across the oceans. Soldiers – ours, and those of many nations – still fighting in wars, still far from wherever their homes are, still dying, year after year.

In more places than we can count in this world there are people ever in danger, being destroyed by others because of who they were born to be, or because of their faith, or because of any number of other things we find to hate each other about. We who hope in the one true God want God to come and save us. We long for this.

Advent is a time when this longing is spoken aloud, sung aloud, dared to be voiced, but this desire, this hope for Emmanuel never leaves us. And the good news is also the difficulty, all at the same time: God does come to be with us. But in an unexpected, and disruptive way.

There’s a reason for the disruption, though. God’s whole purpose for coming in person was to create change in us and in the world. This is what God means by “saved”.

And again, the clue is in the promised child’s name, now from the angel’s voice to Joseph: his name will be Jesus, which means “God saves.” “Because he will save his people from their sins,” the angel says.

But for Jesus this isn’t some judicial exchange. He doesn’t come simply to remove consequences or even punishment for our sins. He comes to save us from them, God’s messenger declares. That is, to bring us into new ways without sin.

God’s whole plan was to personally, in person, lead us away from paths that lead to sin into paths that lead to life. That’s the world’s answer from God. That’s how God is with us.

The answer for Ahaz and the people of Judah was to live new lives of justice in God’s ways, trusting God to save them, not foreign alliances. This meant change for them, serious change.

The answer for Joseph and Mary and their people was to live in God’s ways and trust that God had come in person to bring about new life. This meant change for them, too, serious change.

And it means change for us. If we’re going to worship this Child, we must remember to worship the man, the Son of God, he became. A man who was also God, who called us to new lives.

New lives that reflect the justice of God, that all people live safely, freely, and in peace. When we do things or support things that do not bring that about, or that prevent such justice, this God-child, this man-to-be, who embodied such justice, this One calls us to change.

We are called to new lives that reflect the love of God, that all people have value and worth in God’s eyes, and are precious. When we do things or support things that do not show that love, or that prevent people from knowing it, this God-child, this man-to-be, who lived that love with every fiber of his being, his teaching, his healing, this One calls us to change.

And we are called to new lives that reflect the vulnerability of God, that are willing to lose all for others, even to giving our lives, rather than dominating or controlling others. When we seek to be in power, to be the ones who get our way, to be ones who live while others die, this God-child, this man-to-be, who himself died and rose to new life, this One calls us to change.

God needed to come because we were destroying ourselves and this world. Because we still are. God chose to come, to be with us, to show us the way to end that destruction and to find life. But that meant we’d need to change. And we don’t like that at all. So we killed him.

But when we killed this God-child, the man he became, God overcame our hatred with resurrection life. And now, risen, this Child continues to stand at the head of new roads, new paths, encouraging us to follow.

And that’s going to be a disruption. But truly a holy one after all.

Because when God comes it’s usually not the way we expect, or often even want. But it is the way we need.

As we enter our Christmas celebrations next week, let us never stop praying for Emmanuel, for God-with-us, despite what it will mean for changing us. And may God bless us with the courage and faith of Joseph and Mary to accept God’s coming, and all the changes it means, so that through us, too, God will come to the world and continue to transform it from fear to love, from death to life.

It’s not how we thought it would be. But it’s God’s gift of life to us and to the world. And our Lord will be with us every step of the way on this new path, thanks be to God, because that’s his name, after all. God-with-us. Emmanuel.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

‘Tis the season for Christmas movies at the Crippen home, and there are several which we always need to watch. With the girls growing into adults and not being around as much, we’re starting to realize that we can’t wait for everyone to be home for all of these movies to be watched, so some Mary, Peter, and I are just going to go ahead and watch when we can.

One of the movies on our family’s “must watch” list is “It’s a Wonderful Life.” I know some think it too sappy, and certainly too ubiquitous on television to have much value, but we love it, and it’s a touchstone. But as I look at Sunday’s readings, the part of that movie that came to my mind was the horrible part, where George Bailey is in the alternate reality of a world where he never lived.

Everything is changed, everything is wrong. His hometown is radically different, and not in a good way. But the hard part of all that for me is watching him go from friend to friend and not be recognized, to have doors slammed in his face by people whom he loves. And worst of all, when he realizes that his beloved children do not even exist anymore, and his wife is terrified of this crazy stranger.

What always strikes me is how terrifying it is for him to be utterly alone. The panic over his uncle’s losing of the deposit money is nothing compared to the terror he felt when he was known to no one, when he was by himself. None of his anchors in life were there anymore.

So when Isaiah Sunday speaks of Immanuel coming, the One who is “God-With-Us,” I thought of George’s fear and desperation when he found himself utterly alone. This is a core human fear, to be by ourselves and have no one. Studies have shown that babies, even if fed and clothed, cannot thrive if they are not regularly with someone, held, loved. I remember reading about the high death rates of babies in an Eastern bloc orphanage, who had their physical needs provided for but were never held or touched.

We might like being left alone sometimes. But humans cannot survive completely alone. We need others as we face the joys and difficulties of life. It makes things manageable to be with others when we face life. It’s a great gift of our Mount Olive community that we can and are “with” each other as we live in this world.

And now in Advent we are given an even better word: God is also with us, in our Lord Christ who comes to us in so many ways, and we are never, ever alone. Even when we don’t know where other people are, our Emmanuel, our Lord, is with us, filling us with a meal of life, leading us through the Spirit with the Word of life, and coming into our hearts and lives with grace and hope.

Many thanks to Beth Gaede, Cynthia Prosek and her friend Ek, Bonnie McLellan, Elizabeth Hunt, Mary Dorow Peggy Hoeft, Timm Schnabell, Tim Lindholm and Sandra Pranschke for all the work completed Saturday, December 14, in cleaning the chancel, north and south sacristies and other areas of the church in preparation for the Christmas season. I really appreciate the willingness of these Altar Guild members to take time from their holiday preparations to spruce up our worship space.

- Steve Pranschke, Altar Guild Chair

Thursday Evening Bible Study

On Thursday evenings (except for Thanksgiving Day) through December 19, Vicar Beckering is leading a topical study on the Biblical witness to suffering and who God is for us in the midst of that suffering. This Bible study series meets in the Chapel Lounge from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Each gathering begins with a light supper. All are welcome!

Conference on Liturgy: Jan. 10-11, 2014

By now you should have received the brochure for this year’s Conference on Liturgy, to be held January 10-11, 2014. The theme of this year’s conference is, “The Psalms: Humanity at Full Stretch.”

The conference begins with a hymn festival on Friday, January 10, at 7:30 p.m. Leadership for the hymn festival this year will be by the Mount Olive Cantorei, Cantor David Cherwien, and the Rev. Dr. Don Saliers. Don Saliers will be the keynote speaker for the conference this year, and will also be guest preacher at Mount Olive that Sunday for the feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, January 12.

Please note that the cost for Mount Olive members to attend this year’s conference is $35/person.

Book Discussion Group

On January 18 (one week late due to Liturgical Conference) the Book Group will discuss Moon Tiger, by Penelope Lively, and on February 8. The Bell, by Iris Murdoch.

At the Community Meals in December (7 and 21), mittens and glove will be given to our guests who need/want them. If you would like to donate mittens and/or gloves to this cause, please call Irene Campbell at 651/230-3927.

Alternative Gift Giving

Take part in a growing tradition by giving gifts that help those in need. The Missions Committee is promoting the idea of alternative gift giving this Christmas. For example, in honor of a loved one, for $120 you can “buy” a sheep for a family through the Heifer Project that provides warm clothing and income through the sale of the wool. We have catalogues from different charitable organizations that you can use or you can order from the organizations’ websites. Some of these organizations are:
•Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
www.elca.org/goodgifts
•Lutheran World Relief http://lwrgifts.org/
•Heifer Project International
http://www.heifer.org
•Common Hope
http://commonhopecatalog.myshopify.com/
•Bethania Kids
http://bethaniakids.org/creative-giving-catalog/

Brunch Brochure

In the brochure racks at Mount Olive is a small guide to recommended brunch places within, at most, three miles from the church. Most restaurants are within 1½ miles. If you notice deletions, additions, or corrections that need to be made to the brochure, please contact Susan Cherwien (scherwien@aol.com) sometime during the month of December, so that we can have the corrected version ready and available for our guests at this January's Liturgical Conference.

A Word of Appreciation from the Hennigs

Many, many thanks for all the prayers, cards, e-mail messages, expressions of concern and prayer shawl we received following my recently diagnosed brain tumor and surgery. For more than 35 years Kristie and I have been blessed to be part of the Mount Olive faith community we share with you, and the kindnesses we have just experienced are all truly appreciated. We shall continue to keep you posted on www.caringbridge.org, and in the meantime expect to see me happily back in church as best I am able. God bless you! - Gene Hennig

Friday Afternoon Support Group

Caregiver? Chronic Illness? Loss of home? Loss of loved one?
We each encounter a variety of losses throughout our lives. Do you wish for a familiar place where you could find some reassurance, share your story, discover a simple skill or two that could help in those moments when you feel overwhelmed?

Beginning Friday, December 27 at 1:00 p.m., join us for a four-week structured support group at Mount Olive. Cathy Bosworth, Vicar Emily Beckering, and Marilyn Gebauer will serve as facilitators for this group on consecutive Fridays through January 17. Each week a brief educational component will be offered with equal time for you to share personally in a confidential, supportive setting.

If you are interested in attending, or have questions, please contact Cathy Bosworth (952-949-3679 or by email to marcat8447@yahoo.com) or Marilyn Gebauer (651-704-9539 or by email to gebauevm@bitstream.net). If four or more people have interest in participating, each will be contacted to confirm the group will meet as planned.

Information About the New Pictorial Directory

1. Photo selection: If you have not selected the photograph for you and or your household for the new pictorial directory, please go online and choose a photograph to be included before Tuesday, December 17, 2013. Elisabeth Hunt will be on hand Sunday, December 15, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the fellowship area to give assistance with your photo selection if needed. A photo will be selected for households that have not selected one by 9 a.m. December 17, 2013.

2. Make-up photo sessions: Paul Nixdorf has set aside a number of slots in the next two weeks of December, for make-up photo sessions for individuals and families who have not yet had their photos taken. We have families who have children returning from college or travel for the holidays who have already indicated an interest in having photos taken. Please contact the church office at 612-827-5919 or welcome@mountolivechurch.org and leave your name and number. You will be contacted to schedule a time for your photos.

3. Reserving a traditional paper/print copy of the pictorial directory: Please contact the church office by calling 612-827-5919, or send a message via email to welcome@mountolivechurch.org, to have your name put on the list for paper/print copies of the new photo directory. There is no charge for the initial paper/print copy to households that do not have an internet connected computer. For households with computer access, a $4 donation is suggested if you request a print copy. This will help defray the cost of printing.

4. Online Pictorial Directory Launch: Watch for your password to the "Members Only" section of the Mount Olive website, www.mountolivechurch.org, where the new Mount Olive Electronic Pictorial Directory will be posted. Your password, along with instructions, will come to you via e-mail from the church office. Our launch date is set for early January. As previously communicated, to provide for security and privacy, the directory will be in the "Members Only" section of the website and requires a password to view material posted.

5. Directory Updates: The Mount Olive Electronic Pictorial Directory will be updated regularly throughout the year, at least quarterly. We have designed the directory maintenance in such a way that we can make changes and updates in the church office. New member information and photos will be added shortly after they are welcomed. If your home or mailing address, e-mail address, phone number or other information changes, please contact the church office at 612-827-5919, or welcome@mountolivechurch.org with the updates. Updated print copies of the directory will be made available annually.

Olive Branch Publication Schedule

There will be no Olive Branch published during the week between Christmas and New Year. The next issue will be published on Thursday, January 2.

Bible Study at Becketwood

For the past several weeks, Vicar Beckering has been leading a topical study on the Biblical witness to suffering and who God is for us in the midst of that suffering.

Vicar Emily will offer a second run of the six week Bible study on human suffering at Becketwood Cooperative on five Tuesday afternoons (January 7 through February 4) from 2:00pm-3:30 pm. This topical study examines the Biblical witness to suffering and who God is for us in the midst of that
suffering. The first session will be in the East Dining Room at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 7. The meeting room at Becketwood changes each week, so announcements will be made at the study regarding the location of the following week. Note: This is not only for Mount Olive members, nor is it
only for those who live at Becketwood. It was just thought that this is a relatively central location, and having an afternoon meeting is better for some who don’t like driving in the evenings. All are welcome!

Becketwood is at 4300 W River Parkway in Minneapolis.

Help with the Greens – Up and Down!

Many hands make light work, and there are several opportunities for people to help decorate the nave and chancel for our Christmas celebrations at Mount Olive. On Sunday, Dec. 22, after second liturgy, is the hanging of the greens, where all wreaths and roping are placed. Any who wish to help, just come to the nave after coffee time. On Monday, Dec. 23, at 8:30 a.m., the Altar Guild will be placing Chrismons and lights on the trees. Last, and probably most important given it’s more easily forgotten, the taking down of the greens and trees will happen on Tuesday, Jan. 7, at 8:30 a.m. In particular, this last task requires a lot of hands, so having a good group come will make the work much easier.

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Christ Jesus has come to open up for us a way to life, to walk on God’s holy way, where even fools can’t get lost; our challenge is to leave our own trails in the wilderness and risk trusting the healing we will receive to make us ready for that way.Pr. Joseph G. Crippen, Third Sunday of Advent, year A; texts: Isaiah 35:1-10; Matthew 11:2-11

Sisters and brothers in Christ, grace to you, and peace in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

It can be a terrifying thing to be lost, with little hope of finding one’s way. To take turn after turn, looking for signs, to drive further and further down a road with nothing looking like it’s supposed to, to have no landmarks of any kind. I’ve been lost in wildernesses and in major cities, and there’s always a point of fear when all options seem to have been exercised and no light, no direction has come.

It might be a worse thing, though, to be lost and not know it. To be confidently going one’s way, certain of direction and purpose, but in fact to be completely and utterly in the wrong place, going in the wrong direction: this is more terrifying. The only thing worse would be the unaware lost person denying being lost to the one who is trying to enlighten them. To confidently go one’s way, certain of direction and purpose, completely and utterly in the wrong place, going in the wrong direction, and boldly rejecting any suggestions that this is in fact the situation.

Hope only lies in awareness, it seems. Being aware, or being willing to be made aware, that one is lost, at sea, in the wilderness, is the path to hope only because if one is aware, then if, if, there is a solution at hand, one might be in fact open to hearing it. Open to following it. So long as we remain oblivious, however – either by ignorance or by defiance – there is little chance we’ll be listening for an answer we don’t think we need.

For both Jesus and John, this is the situation: God has a highway that is safe and leads to life, while we’re scratching our way through the underbrush, lost, confused, but insisting our path is the right path.

Both John and Jesus are connected to words from Isaiah which speak of this holy way of God’s, though in very different ways.

The verses from Isaiah 40 that the Evangelists attach to John’s ministry talk about a massive road-building project, earth-movers in the desert. We heard them last week: valleys filled in, mountains laid low, crooked things straightened out, that’s the plan. And John’s the voice of that movement, with his fire and axes and threats. He takes very seriously his role as the one preparing the way for the coming of Messiah, and he’s driving a road through the complacency and apathy of the people with a huge bulldozer. “Wake up,” he shouts, “you’re going the wrong way”. Or worse, you’re not going anywhere that God is.

But the verses from Isaiah we hear today, which Jesus, in his reply to John, claims as a sign he is fulfilling, speak of an already existing safe way through the wilderness. It’s a lovely image of a safe road in a dangerous place, a road which avoids swamps and deserts, a road on which no wild animals will come. This road is God’s Holy Way, a way leading to God, to life, and Isaiah says not even fools can get lost on it. The sign that you’re on the holy way, Isaiah says, is the healing of people, the restoring of the creation, and the vision of God’s people walking in joy and gladness in the light of the Lord.

Jesus, like John, wants people on this road, it’s the road to life, but he comes not with bulldozers, fire and axes, rather with a welcome, an invitation to turn around instead of a shout, with forgiveness, and healing. He comes to prepare hearts and lives through grace and welcome. The people are no less lost than they were with John, though Jesus has a different way about him.

But while Jesus and John have different approaches, the message is the same: you can’t keep on in the way you’re going. It is a way of death. Yet, like the people of their day, we seem to be unable or unwilling to recognize this truth.

We slog through the wilderness of our lives, chopping pathways with the machetes of our own power and control, fighting undergrowth and the wild animals of the brokenness and evil of this world. And if we actually are lost and either don’t know it or won’t admit it, there is no good outcome to our labor and effort. In fact, it’s a sure recipe for destruction.

If the people of God are living lost from God, making their own roads in the wilderness of the world, it’s hardly ever a good result.

When the Church is lost, making its own paths, not walking on God’s Holy Way, people get hurt. The way of the institution becomes the guiding light, and it’s a way that tramples people underfoot if they don’t fit, a way that forgets about God and makes the Church, in whatever form, the new idol, a way that uses power and force and domination instead of offering grace and healing and forgiveness. A lost Church that doesn’t realize it is lost is a frightening and horrible thing; we know this, we’ve seen it.

It’s not much better for any of us as individuals, when we go our own paths, seeking our own good, our own control, our own decisions, our own way. When we think we’re the ones who know best, we also hurt others, and hurt ourselves. We become the new idol, and we forget about God as much as the institution can.

And the irony is that as we struggle through life, either as the Church or individuals, we still are perfectly willing and able to grumble at God for not helping us with the clearing, with the trail, with the journey. When things get hard, God’s on the hook.

And all along, the Triune God is saying, “I actually have a road just over here that’s safe and good and will lead to life. I’m not sure why you persist in doing this your own way instead of mine.” Yet we keep on slogging ahead as if we’re wiser, have better vision, and a clearer purpose than God.

In part that may be because we know from Jesus and John that this is not necessarily a less difficult road: it’s a road of risk and possible loss, of certain vulnerability.

You see, the road might be the way to life, and it certainly is a way walked in the hands of God.

But there are things about it that don’t seem safe to us. The road of the Triune God is a road where we constantly risk ourselves for the sake of others, because that’s what the roadmaker, Jesus, did and does. We are willing to lose, to be vulnerable, to let go of our control.

And on this road we’re willing to admit that John and Jesus have a point, that our way of living our lives is often not of God, is broken, is sometimes destructive, and that we’re going to need to be turned around. We’re going to need to be healed of whatever it is that is broken, that is sinful, that is hurtful. That’s a painful on-ramp to the highway of God, and even on the highway, such self-truth will continue to be important for us to face.

Whether institutions or individuals, such weakness, such confession, such relinquishing of control, is a fearful prospect. But it is the road to life, and even fools can’t get lost. That’s the truth we need to know.

The way of power and dominance and control, where we’re always in charge, where we know the right way all the time, it’s an illusion. We think it leads to life, but we know in our hearts most times that we have no idea where we’re going.

The Holy Way of God, on the other hand, is filled with forgiveness and grace, and with strength from the Holy Spirit to lift our sagging spirits, to open the eyes of our hearts to see the face of God, and shape us into people who look like the roadmaker, like Jesus.

If we follow our own paths in the wilderness, there are infinite ways we can get lost. If we follow our Lord, not even fools – and isn’t that Good News for us today – not even fools can get lost.

But it’s not just God’s road which causes us to hesitate. It’s also not easy for us to admit our way isn’t the best way. Which is probably why Jesus talks about the possibility of people taking offense at him.

To be told you need fixing, you’re going the wrong way is not something we’re happy to hear. It’s very easy for us to look at others who seem to be going the wrong way and have all sorts of advice for them. To look at someone else who seems to need healing – whether spiritual, moral, emotional, mental, physical – and say “they should get some help,” we can do that.

And to look at other institutions, even fellow Christian ones, and see where they’ve gone wrong, where they’re lost, where they’re not walking with God, we’re good at that kind of vision.

Our diagnostic skills are exceptional when it comes to others. It’s quite another thing to admit we need help.
That’s because this is also a deeply vulnerable place to be, to say we’re not what we are meant to be. It requires a deep honesty about our hearts, honesty to ourselves, not just to God. Honesty about motives, intents, about actions and inactions, about thoughts and plans. It requires our facing that we have things that need to be turned around, healed.

And that’s not our favorite thing to do. But surely, if we allow ourselves to be honest in our own minds, we know this is true. We know we are broken, collectively and individually, and act in ways that are not good, that are hurtful. We know that we would fret if others knew all our inner thoughts and desires. We know that not only do we not have all the answers to life, we have almost none.

We know that there are places of deep fear inside us, fear that we are lost and don’t know our way, fear that things happen all the time that we can’t control and that terrifies us, fear that we make a mess of things far more often than we’d like to admit.

And that’s what we need to remember. Because if you’re well and truly lost, if you’re really in the bushes, this is very good news, this holy way of God.

See. if you have a physical illness, you’d rarely want to deny it. You’d know you needed to see a doctor. You’re out of options to figure your own solutions out, to keep going as if all is well. You have only one choice: seek help and hope that someone can help.

So were we able to be honest about our lostness, our inability to make our way in joy, we’d recognize our similar lack of options. Whatever healing of heart, soul, mind, body we need, we’d see that there is One who offers it.

One who loves us even in our worst moments and sees our best, One who has a way to life if only we’d be willing to let him heal us and put us on that way.

One who modelled this whole way, of setting aside power, control, and dominance, and came among us to love us back to the Triune God, to show us the true way to be human, the true path to life.

It comes down to this. Jesus’ reply to John is more for us than anything. He says: “No offense – no offense – but you’re a bit of a mess, and heading in the wrong direction. I can do something about that (look what I’ve done already), and I can get you going right, and you will find life and joy and hope in that new way.”

So we would be blessed, I think, if we didn’t take offense at this.

Blessed if we admitted our lostness as soon as possible, together and individually, that we might open ourselves to the healing, restoring grace of our Savior and Lord, who not only has made the road, but is on it himself, ready to guide, to direct, to strengthen, to cheer.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

The afternoon of December the 1st marked my return from a three-month sabbatical which began September 1. Interim Cantor William Beckstrand asked me to play organ for the Advent Procession Service, which I gladly did. That event underscored how much I missed all that we do together in song!

As I’ve said often: the sabbatical was a tremendous gift, for which I am very grateful. It was truly a time of adventure – having quite the variety of experiences in many places, learning a lot about opportunities, assembling musical/liturgical ideas, and also pitfalls to avoid!

Since several of you have asked what I did, I thought I’d outline it a bit. The first two months were filled with travel. Two trips to Europe, spending time in Provence and Paris in France, and in Berlin and Leipzig in Germany, and in Cambridge England. Stateside I went to Texas, Pennsylvania, California, Arizona and Indiana.

During these 13 weeks I attended 14 liturgies in Europe, and 11 here in the States. I also attended 8 concerts, and provided 5 hymn festivals. Four of the weekends were right here in the Twin Cities, and on those four Sundays I attended 7 services in local churches. The concerts included 5 choral concerts, and 3 organ recitals. These were, without a doubt, world-class events which will provide ideas and inspiration for a long time!

Each of these experiences does a lot, whether here in the U.S. or in Europe. Being what we and the Church have come to call “a visitor” itself continues to raise enormous questions for me about our understanding of ourselves as Church, and what we are doing and how we relate with anyone in attendance at liturgy (including God!!). No doubt more will come out from me on this topic!

I kept a journal in blog form, accessible to anyone: www.cherwien.blogspot.com, with more details of my experiences. I also created a notebook with all bulletins and programs which I’d be happy to share with anyone who wishes.

In addition to all of that activity in travel, during the third month there was a significant amount of down-time, especially during the weekdays. This, too, was a huge gift (maybe even a challenge at times) as I tend to have a lot of irons in the fire with my normal schedule (who doesn’t?). I was really forced to “be still and know that God is God” in those times. We also cashed in some miles, and flew to Susan’s sister in Sacramento for a cherished visit.

It was my hope as well that my sabbatical would work in two ways: not only for my experiences and time away, but also as an opportunity for Mount Olive (and National Lutheran Choir) to have some fresh and enriching experiences with the help of those assuming my responsibilities. From all reports, this has happened. Bill Beckstrand was inspired by you, and you by him. I am grateful for his gifts, and for your gifts and generosity to him.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Now: nose to the grindstone it is!

The Missions committee is hosting a Fair Trade Craft Sale during Advent. Purchase beautiful and unique Fair Trade items from SERRV International, handmade by disadvantaged artisans in developing regions around the world. With each purchase, you help artisans maintain steady work and a sustainable income so they can provide for their families.

Sunday, December 15, Advent 3, is the final day items will be available for sale, following both liturgies (cash and check only). Fair trade coffee, tea, cocoa, and chocolate from Equal Exchange are also available. This is not a fund-raiser, just an opportunity to buy good products for a good cause.

Book Discussion Group

For this Saturday, December 14, The Book Discussion group will discuss The Optimist's Daughter by Eudora Welty, and on January 18 (postponed one week due to the Liturgy Conference), we will discuss Moon Tiger, by Penelope Lively.

Thursday Evening Bible Study

On Thursday evenings (except for Thanksgiving Day) through December 19, Vicar Beckering is leading a topical study on the Biblical witness to suffering and who God is for us in the midst of that suffering. This Bible study series meets in the Chapel Lounge from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Each gathering will begin with a light supper. All are welcome!

Chancel-Cleaning Gathering

The Altar Guild is hosting a chancel-cleaning event on Saturday, December 14, from noon to 3:00 p.m. All are welcome to help out for an hour or two. Bring your favorite duster and polishing rags, and help spiff up our worship space for Christmas. Questions? Contact Beth Gaede via email at bethgaede [at] comcast [dot] net.

Mittens + Gloves = Warm Hands
At the Community Meals in December (7 and 21), mittens and glove will be given to our guests who need/want them. If you would like to donate mittens and/or gloves to this cause, please call Irene Campbell at 651/230-3927.

An Opportunity to Thank Our Terrific Staff

Each year at this time the Vestry asks that you consider a monetary gift to recognize our Mount Olive staff for the faithful service that they provide throughout the year. If you would like to contribute, please leave (or mail) a donation marked "staff gift" in the church office. Checks can be made payable to Mount Olive Lutheran Church. Gifts should be received by December 15. Thank-you.

- Lora Dundek, Vestry President

Alternative Gift Giving

Are you looking for something different to do this year for Christmas gifts? Take part in a growing tradition by giving gifts that help those in need. The Missions Committee is promoting the idea of alternative gift giving this Christmas. For example, in honor of a loved one, for $120 you can “buy” a sheep for a family through the Heifer Project that provides warm clothing and income through the sale of the wool. We have catalogues from different charitable organizations that you can use or you can order from the organizations’ websites. Some of these organizations are:

In the brochure racks at Mount Olive is a small guide to recommended brunch places within, at most, three miles from the church. Most restaurants are within 1½ miles. If you notice deletions, additions, or corrections that need to be made to the brochure, please contact Susan Cherwien - scherwien@aol.com - sometime during the month of December, so that we can have the corrected version ready and available for our guests at this January's Liturgical Conference.

Friday Afternoon Support Group

Caregiver? Chronic Illness? Loss of home? Loss of loved one?

We each encounter a variety of losses throughout our lives. Do you wish for a familiar place where you could find some reassurance, share your story, discover a simple skill or two that could help in those moments when you feel overwhelmed?

Beginning Friday, December 27 at 1:00 p.m., join us for a four-week structured support group at Mount Olive. Cathy Bosworth, Vicar Emily Beckering, and Marilyn Gebauer will serve as facilitators for this group on consecutive Fridays through January 17. Each week a brief educational component will be offered with equal time for you to share personally in a confidential, supportive setting.

If you are interested in attending, or have questions, please contact Cathy Bosworth (952-949-3679 or by email to marcat8447@yahoo.com) or Marilyn Gebauer (651-704-9539 or by email to gebauevm@bitstream.net). If four or more people have interest in participating, each will be contacted to confirm the group will meet as planned.

Home Care Holiday Kits for Our Savior’s Housing

Many residents of Our Savior’s Shelter have moved into the Permanent Supportive Housing Program. These individuals have struggled with homelessness for years and are now finally settled into their very own apartment, which they are able to maintain with the support of Our Saviour's Housing Case Management. Holiday Home Care Baskets are a wonderful gift to help ease their budgets and maintain a beautiful and clean home of their own. Suggested items include:

Our Savior’s currently has 75 Residents in this program and would happily accept any number of baskets the people of Mount Olive are able to put together! In order to deliver the baskets to each resident in time for the holidays, we are asking that all baskets be delivered to Mount Olive by this Sunday, December 15.

Conference on Liturgy: Jan. 10-11, 2014

By now you should have received the brochure for this year’s Conference on Liturgy, to be held January 10-11, 2014. The theme of this year’s conference is, “The Psalms: Humanity at Full Stretch.”

The conference begins with a hymn festival on Friday, January 10, at 7:30 p.m. Leadership for the hymn festival this year will be by the Mount Olive Cantorei, Cantor David Cherwien, and the Rev. Dr. Don Saliers. Don Saliers will be the keynote speaker for the conference this year, and will also be guest preacher at Mount Olive that Sunday for the feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, January 12.

Please note that the cost for Mount Olive members to attend this year’s conference is $35/person.

National Lutheran Choir Christmas Festival: LIGHT

This year's treasured Christmas Festival, “Light No Dark Can Overcome,” features both well-known and new music, including Midwest premieres by Kevin Siegfried and Tom Trenney. Carols, anthems and poetry combine to create a journey in time and space. Directed by NLC Artistic Director, David Cherwien, Gregory Peterson, organist/pianist.

1. Photo selection: If you have not selected the photograph for you and or your household for the new pictorial directory, please go online and choose a photograph to be included before Tuesday, December 17, 2013. Elisabeth Hunt will be on hand Sunday, December 15, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the fellowship area to give assistance with your photo selection if needed. A photo will be selected for households that have not selected one by 9 a.m. December 17, 2013.

2. Photo purchases: If you want to purchase photos as Christmas gifts for family or friends, please complete your orders by Sunday, December 15, 2013 to insure delivery to you in time for Christmas. If photos are ordered after December 15, a charge for express shipping will be required to have them arrive by Christmas.

3. Make-up photo sessions: Paul Nixdorf has set aside a number of slots in the next two weeks of December, for make-up photo sessions for individuals and families who have not yet had their photos taken. We have families who have children returning from college or travel for the holidays who have already indicated an interest in having photos taken. Please contact the church office at 612-827-5919 or welcome@mountolivechurch.org and leave your name and number. You will be contacted to schedule a time for your photos.

4. Reserving a traditional paper/print copy of the pictorial directory: Please contact the church office by calling 612-827-5919, or send a message via email to welcome@mountolivechurch.org, to have your name put on the list for paper/print copies of the new photo directory. There is no charge for the initial paper/print copy to households that do not have an internet connected computer. For households with computer access, a $4 donation is suggested if you request a print copy. This will help defray the cost of printing.

5. Online Pictorial Directory Launch: Watch for your password to the "Members Only" section of the Mount Olive website, www.mountolivechurch.org, where the new Mount Olive Electronic Pictorial Directory will be posted. Your password, along with instructions, will come to you via e-mail from the church office. Our launch date is set for early January. As previously communicated, to provide for security and privacy, the directory will be in the "Members Only" section of the website and requires a password to view material posted.

6. Directory Updates: The Mount Olive Electronic Pictorial Directory will be updated regularly throughout the year, at least quarterly. We have designed the directory maintenance in such a way that we can make changes and updates in the church office. New member information and photos will be added shortly after they are welcomed. If your home or mailing address, e-mail address, phone number or other information changes, please contact the church office at 612-827-5919, or welcome@mountolivechurch.org with the updates. Updated print copies of the directory will be made available annually.

Church Library News

You are invited to stop in the main library soon for the newest display of books, including:

•Advent for the Family, by Fredrick P. and Patricia K. Auman
•Programs for Advent and Christmas, edited by Vincia Alesin
•Programs for Advent and Christmas, Volume 2, edited by Vincia Alesin
•Christmas the World Over, by Daniel J. Foley
•First Christmas: The True and Unfamiliar Story, by Paul L. Maier
•Our Family Christmas Book: Stories, Features and Activities for All the Family to Enjoy, compiled by Mary Batchelor
•The Martin Luther Christmas Book, with Celebrated Woodcuts by His Contemporaries, trans. and arranged by Roland H. Bainton
•Christmas in Our Hearts: Candle, Star and Christmas Tree -- When Christmas Came to Bethlehem, by Charles L. Allen and Charles L. Wallis
•A Book of Christmas and Epiphany, with daily devotions by Victor E. Beck and Paul M. Lindberg
•Our Christmas Story, by Mrs. Billy Graham

Parents, bring your children into the main library (and check the browser bin in the Courtyard Library) for special Christmas books for their appropriate age group.

There are always a variety of free bookmarks for children and adults to browse and don't forget to check our CD and DVD racks as well.

Very soon we will work on a library volunteer list for the first months of 2014 and we need to add at least one (or more) new volunteer to that list. Please let me know if you would be willing to help in our library ministry on a rotating Sunday library schedule. We will be glad to provide modest library training and you would be working in pleasant surroundings. You could reach me at church, or by phone (please leave a message if needed) or leave your name and intention with the church office to forward to me.

Closing this article with an appropriate and likeable quotation from Mark Twain: "Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life."

Sunday, December 8, 2013

The Triune God is pruning us in order that Christ, our root, might bring forth new life from us.Vicar Emily Beckering; Second Sunday of Advent, year A; texts: Matthew 3:1-12; Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-13

In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

My home congregation had a tradition of performing a play every year that told the story of Jesus’ ministry and crucifixion. One of the most memorable scenes featured John the Baptist: he marched down the aisle of the nave in a wild wig and a hairy costume, shouting at the top of his lungs, “Prepare the way of the Lord, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” I must confess to you that one of my childhood dreams was to play the part of John the Baptist. Little did I know that that was too lofty a dream for a child, and the part would not be given to a girl. So I never got to see the view from the aisle, but I know well what it felt like to be part of the crowd. And really, that was the proper place for me, for all of us: we are part of the crowd, for we need to hear John the Baptist each year calling us to change how we have been living.

So here we are again, along the banks of the river, listening along with the Pharisees and the Sadducees to John the Baptist’s call to us. “Repent” he tells us, “The kingdom of heaven is near!” In other words, “there is no time to waste! No more excuses to make.” As we heard last week, the time is nearer than we think and this is our wake-up call. It is time to wake up, time to repent, time to turn around and turn away from the harmful ways that we have been living and time to turn back towards God and God’s purposes.

Through John’s warning, we like the people of Judea, are told to stop putting our trust in presidential pledges and party platforms, and instead to turn around and to trust God and God’s promises.

We, like those who journeyed from Jerusalem, are told to put an end to meeting our own needs at the expense of those who live in our home, in our city, across the ocean.

We are called to stop strolling along through Advent, content to busy ourselves with baking and buying and all of our responsibilities without a thought for those who struggle to keep their families fed and warm.

John the Baptist calls us back from the dark path of belittling ourselves when we feel that we lack what is needed, and ridiculing others when we feel threatened by them.

Along with the Sadducees and the Pharisees, we are called away from any sense of entitlement or security based on who we think we are or what we have done.

We are to stop staring at ourselves. We are to look up at Jesus and look out into the world where he leads us.

God loves us, and God also loves those whom we have hurt. We cannot continue to live in these ways: too many people have been hurt, too many relationships broken, too many needs have been ignored, too many times have we trampled on others to get our way, too many times have we hidden our God-given light or snuffed others’ out, too many opportunities to listen or to witness have been avoided, and too many times have we placed our trust in people, in things other than in the Triune God. We are trees who have not borne as much fruit as we could have. And this cannot continue. And there is no time to waste. We must be stopped. We must be changed.

This change requires more than an external makeover because the problem goes deep within us; this change, we are told, requires fire and an ax. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees to cut out and to chop off all of the harmful beliefs and patterns, all of the pieces of us that cause us to hurt ourselves and those around us.

This is what we need to understand about John the Baptist’s words: we are already the tree stump, and these words today are good news for a tree cut down.

The Triune God has already been at work in us since our Baptism, cutting out our old sinful selves, and God continues to do that day after day. Even the news of being cut down is good news because we actually need God to remove the diseased branches so that we might heal, to rip away the vines that choke the life out of us, to prune off the branches that take so much of our energy but bear no good fruit. We cannot be Christ if we are turned inward, and so though it is at times painful, the thorns and the thistles and yes maybe even the parts of ourselves that we would name as our trunk—our ego and the value that we place on our accomplishments and our reputation and how loved we are by others—even these things need to be cut away, down to the very tree stump.

But an amazing thing happens to tree stumps in the wild. On the surface—the part of the stump that we can see—the tree may look dead, lifeless, even decaying. But that is not the whole story. There is life yet within the tree: a whole root system beneath it, which anchors it deep and gives the stump what it needs to grow again. Without these roots, the stump would surely die. But it does not, for from the roots shoot new sprouts which will grow into a new tree, a tree without the disease of the old trunk, a healed tree, a healthy tree.

We, too, have secure roots. We are told today both by Paul and the prophet Isaiah, that the root of Jesse is Jesus: the one promised to Israel, the hope for the Gentiles—the hope for us. We are rooted to Christ: at our very core, we belong to the Lord. It is not us who live, but Christ within us: Christ the root, the anchor who keeps us from being torn up by the storms that may rage through our lives, the one who holds us secure in all seasons of the year, and when the winter passes and the flooding around us ceases, and all of our harmful ways of living have been cut away, Christ, our root, will bring forth new life from us.

Without Christ, we, like the tree stump without its roots, would simply die and decay. If left to our own devices, we would continue to trample over others to get our way, we would continue to cling to our money, to choose the easiest path rather than the path that God calls us down, to try to make people into who we would have them be instead of celebrate who God has made them, and we would continue to turn our back on God. But God has found a way to bring lasting change by choosing to forever be bound—to be rooted—to us through Christ. In this binding, we have been set free. The change within us comes from God, and the One who has claimed us and began a good work in us will bring it to completion. Christ will continue to work in us until we are no longer hurting others or destroying or turning our backs on God.

All of this is to say that when we look in the mirror and we see all of our shortcomings, how far we are from who we want to be, or when we look at each other and only see disappointment, or when we look at a world where sexism, racism, classism, slavery, abuse and poverty still hold power, and all that we can see is an ugly, hopeless, dead tree stump, we are told that God isn’t finished with us yet. God refuses to leave us there as the tree stump. “Wait,” God says, “Just you wait, a shoot shall come out from you and a branch shall grow out of your roots.”

This word of God is our life-giving sap because it gives us hope: real, true, hope that the kingdom has come near, and that we are not to give up on ourselves or one another because Christ is still at work in us. When we look at ourselves honestly and we realize that we can’t live how we have been living, the Triune God is cutting away our dead branches. And when we are reminded what is really important in this life, love of God and of one another, and that all the rest can be left behind, the Triune God is pruning us. And when we find ourselves listening in order to understand the concerns and values of others rather than immediately reacting out of fear or anger, the Triune God makes a new shoot burst forth. And when we give our money out of joy rather than cling to it, the Triune God is at work and a sprout springs up. When we take a second look at one another, and we see each other’s roots—each other’s worth—the Triune God is at work and a new bud flowers. And when we entrust ourselves—not just the parts that we are proudest of or the parts that we think maybe we can do without—but our whole selves to God, a branch grows tall and strong.

We might not always feel it, and this change that Christ is bringing about in us may not immediately be evident. So how do we know that we are being made new? How do we know that we are still rooted to God? We know because Christ has promised it: that he will never leave us or forsake us: that he will be with us always until the end of the age. Until he comes again. Until the very end of our sin, and our hurting, and all suffering. This is the promise and the hope for us, for the Church, the whole world, and for anyone who feels like a tree cut down. It won’t be long now; even now a shoot springs forth.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Many Christmases ago when my brother and sister and I were young, we went on a special shopping trip downtown with my mother. By the end of the day, the car was filled with presents for our cousins and grandparents and one another.

On the way home, we stopped at a stoplight under the freeway. There, under the bridge, stood an older man with a sign. As he approached the car, my mother rolled down the window and reached for her purse.

My sister, who sat in the front seat, began to cry out, “No, mama! Please! You don’t know that man! He’s scary!”

The man paused. The light turned green.

My mother looked at the man apologetically.

He looked back at her with his kind, weathered eyes, and smiled softly. And we drove away.

To this day, my mother remembers the man’s eyes.

I remember what she told my sister as we drove away: “I do know him, Abbey. That was Jesus.”

The difference between my mother and us children that afternoon was that she knew who to look for. She expected to meet Jesus often, and her eyes were wide open, always on the lookout to see him.

In this season of Advent, we hear again of what God has done, but we are not preparing ourselves for the baby Jesus to come or imagining ourselves at the manger. Advent means “arrival, approach, coming.” During Advent, the Holy Spirit is preparing us to see Christ coming to us here and now, and opening our eyes to how God’s future is already breaking into our midst so that we may live this season of Advent—and all of our lives—with eyes wide open.

The Missions committee is hosting a Fair Trade Craft Sale during Advent. Purchase beautiful and unique Fair Trade items from SERVV International, handmade by disadvantaged artisans in developing regions around the world. With each purchase, you help artisans maintain steady work and a sustainable income so they can provide for their families.

The crafts will be available for purchase after both services on December 1, 8 and 15 (cash and check only). Fair trade coffee, tea, cocoa, and chocolate from Equal Exchange will also be available. This is not a fund-raiser, just an opportunity to buy good products for a good cause.

Book Discussion Group

For December 14, The Book Discussion group will discuss The Optimist's Daughter by Eudora Welty, and on January 18 (postponed one week due to the Liturgy Conference), we will discuss Moon Tiger, by Penelope Lively.

Thursday Evening Bible Study

On Thursday evenings (except for Thanksgiving Day) through December 19, Vicar Beckering is leading a topical study on the Biblical witness to suffering and who God is for us in the midst of that suffering. This Bible study series meets in the Chapel Lounge from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Each gathering will begin with a light supper. All are welcome!

Alternative Gift Giving

Are you looking for something different to do this year for Christmas gifts? Take part in a growing tradition by giving gifts that help those in need. The Missions Committee is promoting the idea of alternative gift giving this Christmas. For example, in honor of a loved one, for $120 you can “buy” a sheep for a family through the Heifer Project that provides warm clothing and income through the sale of the wool. We have catalogues from different charitable organizations that you can use or you can order from the organizations’ websites. Some of these organizations are:
•Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
www.elca.org/goodgifts
•Lutheran World Relief http://lwrgifts.org/
•Heifer Project International
http://www.heifer.org
•Common Hope
http://commonhopecatalog.myshopify.com/
•Bethania Kids
http://bethaniakids.org/creative-giving-catalog/

Chancel-Cleaning Gathering

The Altar Guild is hosting a chancel-cleaning event on Saturday, December 14, from noon to 3:00 p.m. All are welcome to help out for an hour or two. Bring your favorite duster and polishing rags, and help spiff up our worship space for Christmas. Questions? Contact Beth Gaede via email at bethgaede [at] comcast [dot] net.

Caring Bridge

Several have asked for a Caring Bridge web address for Gene Hennig. His daughter, Kate, has asked us to share the following, for those who want the latest updates on his surgery and recuperation: www.caringbridge.org/visit/genehennig.

An Opportunity to Thank Our Terrific Staff

Each year at this time the Vestry asks that you consider a monetary gift to recognize our Mount Olive staff for the faithful service that they provide throughout the year. If you would like to contribute, please leave (or mail) a donation marked "staff gift" in the church office. Checks can be made payable to Mount Olive Lutheran Church. Gifts should be received by December 15.

Thank-you.

- Lora Dundek, Vestry President

Friday Afternoon Support Group

Caregiver? Chronic Illness? Loss of home? Loss of loved one?

We each encounter a variety of losses throughout our lives. Do you wish for a familiar place where you could find some reassurance, share your story, discover a simple skill or two that could help in those moments when you feel overwhelmed?

Beginning Friday, December 27 at 1:00 p.m., join us for a four-week structured support group at Mount Olive. Cathy Bosworth, Vicar Emily Beckering, and Marilyn Gebauer will serve as facilitators for this group on consecutive Fridays through January 17. Each week a brief educational component will be offered with equal time for you to share personally in a confidential, supportive setting.

If you are interested in attending, or have questions, please contact Cathy Bosworth (952-949-3679 or by email to marcat8447@yahoo.com) or Marilyn Gebauer (651-704-9539 or by email to gebauevm@bitstream.net). If four or more people have interest in participating, each will be contacted to confirm the group will meet as planned.

Brunch Brochure

In the brochure racks at Mount Olive is a small guide to recommended brunch places within, at most, three miles from the church. Most restaurants are within 1½ miles. If you notice deletions, additions, or corrections that need to be made to the brochure, please contact Susan Cherwien - scherwien@aol.com - sometime during the month of December, so that we can have the corrected version ready and available for our guests at this January's Liturgical Conference.

Home Care Holiday Kits for Our Savior’s Housing

Many residents of Our Savior’s Shelter have moved into the Permanent Supportive Housing Program. These individuals have struggled with homelessness for years and are now finally settled into their very own apartment, which they are able to maintain with the support of Our Saviour's Housing Case Management. Holiday Home Care Baskets are a wonderful gift to help ease their budgets and maintain a beautiful and clean home of their own.

Our Savior’s currently has 75 Residents in this program and would happily accept any number of baskets the people of Mount Olive are able to put together! In order to deliver the baskets to each resident in time for the holiday's, we are asking that all baskets be delivered to Mount Olive by Sunday, December 15.

National Lutheran Choir Christmas Festival: LIGHT

This year's treasured Christmas Festival, “Light No Dark Can Overcome,” features both well-known and new music, including Midwest premieres by Kevin Siegfried and Tom Trenney. Carols, anthems and poetry combine to create a journey in time and space. Directed by NLC Artistic Director, David Cherwien, Gregory Peterson, organist/pianist.

All performances held at the Basilica of St. Mary, 88 North 17th St. in Minneapolis (612.333.1381).

Mittens + Gloves = Warm Hands

At the Community Meals in December (7th and 21st), mittens and glove will be given to our guests who need/want them. If you would like to donate mittens and/or gloves to this cause, please call Irene Campbell at 651/230-3927.

Dec. 8 Forum: Incarnation Icon

Adam Krueger and Thomas Fenner have commissioned an Incarnation icon, which they are giving to Mount Olive in memory of Adam’s mother. The icon writer (or painter), Nicholas Markell (who also wrote the icon of the Ascension in Mount Olive's columbarium), will present the icon to Adam and Thomas and will discuss the icon -- its genesis, its symbolism, its meanings -- at the Adult Forum on December 8 (rescheduled from December 1 as previously announced).

Field Trip!

Interested in attending the largest choral music event in the world? Ever seen the film “The Singing Revolution” or maybe have heard the recent concert of the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir? Ever thought of visiting Saint Saviour’s Church in Riga, Latvia that Mount Olive was instrumental in resurrecting (with Arden and Jana Haug) in the 1990’s?

Join former Mount Olive Cantor Mark Sedio and his partner, Jeff Sartain as they lead a trip to the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania this summer from June 27 through July 7. The group will visit three interestingly diverse capital cities: Vilnius (Lithuania - a gem of a city with stunning Baroque architecture and a center of Jewish learning), Riga (Latvia’s lovely capital - not only lots of red brick like Copenhagen but also a treasure chest of a peculiar brand of Art Nouveau), and finally Tallinn (Estonia - boasting one of the best preserved Medieval city centers in all of Europe). The culmination of the trip is the All-Estonia LAULUPIDU (the Song Festival which happens only once every five years) in which 120,000 people join together in song. It is one of the largest choral events in the world! All this, plus side trips to places like Cesis (Latvia) - a pristinely preserved Latvian town and the Estonian island of Saaremaa with its many windmills, mysterious crater lakes, and one of Europe’s largest stone Teutonic fortresses.

Tour brochures will soon be available in the church office. For more information, contact Mark at 612/767-9230 or msedio@centralmpls.org. Hope you’ll consider joining us!